About our founder
Mona Antwan is a trailblazing leader and the pioneering founder of
Mindfulness Leader, NFP, an innovative educational program serving
high school and college students. Once named a “bridge to humanity's
higher self,” Mona developed a first-of-its-kind project-based curriculum
that teaches young leaders 23 core principles grounded in three pillars:
Inner Awareness, Physical Awareness, and Being Intentional.
Through a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) framework. Since 2017,
Mona’s programs have transformed the lives of over 10,017 students and garnered recognition from both
The White House and the Mayor's Office of Chicago.
Originally from Baghdad, Iraq, and a 6-year-old Assyrian/Chaldean refugee entering Chicago Public Schools in 1980, Mona’s personal journey fuels her unwavering commitment to making students feel heard and seen—something she lacked during her early years. In addition to her work in education, she has been advocating for young lives for over 30 years. Today, she balances her deep dedication to serving humanity with her life as a wife to her husband of 25 years and as a mother of two college students and two pugs.
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Currently, a Chicago Peace Fellow with the Goldin Institute and a Force for Good with the Chicago Police Department, Mona continues to lead the charge in addressing the mental health and trauma crisis in schools. Through the Mindfulness Leader organization, she has launched a global technology platform and mindfulness-based SEL curriculum, available via the Mindfulness Leader App on the Apple Store and Google Play, sharing her transformative teachings with youth worldwide.
Events & Articles
Mindfulness Leader is an active force in the community, across national and international platforms to bring our proven tools and techniques to as wide an audience as possible.
Please check out our past events and keep an eye out for all of our new and upcoming outreach programs!
Partnerships & Awards
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Partnered up with the City of Chicago’s After School Matters. Running programs during the school day and after-school.
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Received the Excellence Award in Making a Difference from the Cook County Treasurer Office Maria Pappas.
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Partner of the City of Chicago Police Department, “A Force for Good” (Only 18 nonprofits making the most impact in the City of Chicago)
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Recognized by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the city of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with the “2018 Chicago Arts Educators” Award.
Partnership with Vaugh Occupation High School working with the special needs youth, running daytime programming.
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Partnership with Hope Academy for High School Elective Courses.
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Invited to the White House for recognition of the program. The White House staff wants to see the Mindfulness Leader program in “every school across the nation”.
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Partnership with Chicago Public Schools and running daytime programming for students, parents, and teachers. Mindfulness Leader, NFP. is an approved CPS vendor. We are also a Strategic Source Vendor for the Social & Emotional Learning services at CPS which means that we were vetted for quality and alignment.
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Partner of Chicago Teachers Union, Training CPS teachers.
Partner of Chicago Public Schools.
Partnership with Niles Township High School District 219 and running daytime programming for students.
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Mona Antwan, 2020 Chicago Peace Fellow with the Goldin Institute.
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Partnership with DePaul University, Mindful Community-based Service Learning.
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